The Autumn Joy apple tree is a suitable fruit tree for growing in the homestead. After picking, the fruits retain their taste for a long time, remaining aromatic and juicy even in winter. The advantage of this variety is that it grows in places unsuitable for gardening, is characterized by winter hardiness and strong immunity to disease.
Description of the variety Autumn Joy
The hybrid was obtained through gradual pollination. The mother variety was "Welsie".Since the apple tree grew on poor soils, it developed resistance to low temperatures and infections. It grows tall, has a sloping crown and round shape. The bark is brown, the shoots are large and straight, slightly drooping. The stems are decorated with yellow lentils. They are round and elongated. The buds are gray and large.
Apples of Autumn Joy are concentrated on fruit twigs. When describing the variety, it is noted that the ovoid green leaf is covered with wrinkles and waves along the edges. The approximate weight of the fruit is about 110-135 g. The fruits have a regular round shape, lengthening towards the top. They turn out green, with a burgundy blush and barely noticeable strokes. A gray spot is visible on the surface.
A small stalk protrudes beyond a wide and shallow funnel, which has a slight rustiness.
Apple tree seeds of the Autumn Joy variety are brown-red in color. The cups are small and closed. The sub-cup tube is small in size and conical in shape.
What type does it belong to?
The apple tree belongs to the autumn species. The fruits can be collected at the end of August. By the beginning of autumn, the apples ripen, filling with juice. They stay on the tree for a long time without losing their attractiveness and taste. If you place apples in a cool place, they can be stored for up to 60 days. Apple trees of the Autumn Joy variety are pollinated by insects. They are attracted by the sweet smell of apple trees.
History of selection
In 1948, breeder S.I. Isaev selected 15 Welsey trees and carried out two-stage pollination. First, the paternal variety Brown Striped became the pollinator, then the maternal variety. The process was successful: Isaev brought out the seeds of Autumn Joy. They were subjected to stratification for 4 months before planting. It went well.When growing an apple tree, the mentor method was used.
The variety was hardened in poor soils, which gave it amazing disease resistance.
Region of natural growth
The hybrid has become popular in Ukraine and Belarus. Although the variety thrives in harsh climates, it is not recommended to grow it in Siberia.
But initially the hybrid was intended for cultivation in the following regions of Russia:
- Ivanovskaya;
- Moscow;
- Smolenskaya;
- Ryazan;
- Tula;
- Kaluzhskaya;
- Vladimirskaya;
- Tverskaya;
- Bryansk;
- Yaroslavskaya.
During heat and drought, the apple tree must be watered periodically. In spring, nutrients need to be added to the soil in dissolved form. It is impossible to do this in dry soil. It should be watered abundantly, otherwise depletion of the tree cannot be avoided.
Apple trees grow well in cold conditions. To speed up adaptation, it can be fed. For young trees, the recommended frequency of the procedure is twice a year, for adults – once. It is better to use organic fertilizers.
Characteristics of the variety
The Autumn Joy variety is widely used in breeding. Thanks to him, NIIS created new hybrids - Zavetnoe and Firebird. Amateur gardeners are confident that the variety is superior in taste and appearance to Lungwort, Aelita, and Young Naturalist.
The apple tree is susceptible to diseases such as black cancer, cytosporosis, and fire blight.
Pests that can damage it:
- hawthorn;
- green aphid;
- codling moth.
Disinfection and spraying with actellik and enterobacterin will help. You need to take care of the tree comprehensively, from early spring to late autumn. In the spring, you should inspect the tree, heal wounds, and treat it from insects. In autumn - whiten and feed.
Advantages and disadvantages
The downside is poor tree branching, branches coming off at an acute angle, and brittle branches in young apple trees growing in warm conditions.
Among the advantages of the variety are:
- Frost resistance.
- Dessert taste.
- Attractive shape.
- Large size.
- Abundance of harvests.
- Weak disease damage.
Tree dimensions
The apple tree is a tall tree. If it is not formed, the height can be 12 meters. Breeders note that annual growth is weak.
Productivity and frequency of fruiting
The difference between the Autumn Joy variety is its high, but not regular, yield. Flowering begins in May. Its duration depends on the temperature. One tree can produce 90 kg of fruit.
Apple trees that have reached 20 years old produce 60 kg more fruit. Fruiting begins in the fourth or fifth year after planting. The first abundant harvest occurs in the 7th year. Although the fruits are firmly attached to the stems, you should not delay picking them: ripe apples fall off. The apple tree bears fruit every year.
Tasting assessment
Thanks to its sweet, pronounced taste, the variety received a tasting score of 4.3 points. Apples have beige flesh with a sweet and sour taste, with notes of spice.
It contains:
- sugars – 10.2%;
- dry matter – 12.6%;
- titratable acids – 0.3%.
The structure of the fruit is tender and rich, of medium density. They can be eaten fresh or used for preservation.
Winter hardiness and disease resistance
The apple tree is not afraid of low temperatures and scab. In terms of winter hardiness, it has the same indicators as the paternal variety Brown Striped. In particularly harsh winters, the apple tree may freeze. This is especially true for perennial wood. The tree recovers quickly.
Landing Features
The apple tree should not be adjacent to other fruit trees. It needs to be planted in an open and well-lit place. The best time for this is March or April. A week before planting, preparations need to be made. The seedlings are placed in holes 60 cm deep and 1 m wide. Before this, the soil is fertilized and after planting, it is watered abundantly. This promotes good rooting.
